A Walmart is one step closer to landing at the intersection of Jefferson Avenue and Mercury Boulevard. The planning commission on Wednesday unanimously recommended re-zoning the 26 acres from industrial to commercial. The final decision on the property rests with the Newport News City Council. If all goes as planned, the new store would open in fall 2011. About 50 people attended the meeting of the Newport News Planning Commission, and objections were cited by some, but in the end, the commissioners decided that Wal-Mart is a good fit for the area.

Vick considers future Michael Vick turns 34 this month. Injuries have plagued him for years, and the Newport News native appears destined to serve as a backup quarterback this season with the New York Jets. But Vick has no plans to ease toward retirement holding a clipboard on the sideline. "I see myself doing this until it's not in my blood anymore, until I don't have a passion for it," he said during a phone interview Wednesday. The Daily Press asked readers to weigh in on Vick's future.

— Wal-Mart Stores Inc. moved much closer to building a Walmart at the intersection of Jefferson Avenue and Mercury Boulevard, with the City Council re-zoning 26 acres for the store. Without any opposition from public officials during public hearings, planning commission and City Council meetings, it appears the Walmart will be built by fall, 2011. The City Council approved the rezoning from industrial to commercial by a 7-0 vote. Walmart still has to obtain site plan approval from the city's staff and other permits before building.

By Robert Brauchle, rbrauchle@dailypress.com and Daily Press | June 12, 2014

Walmart is building the company's first neighborhood market-style store in the city along Mercury Boulevard. The concrete shell of the 44,466-square-foot building is taking shape in the Mercury Plaza Mall Shopping Center, which also houses Burlington Coat Factory and Chick-fil-A. Economic Development Director Leonard Sledge and Mayor George Wallace revealed the company's plans during a Wednesday evening City Council meeting. The store will open early winter and employ about 95 people, said Amanda Henneberg, Walmart senior director of media relations.

Wal-Mart is coming to south Newport News — to a part of the city lacking grocery stores — city officials said on Monday. Wal-Mart Stores Inc. proposes building a new store at the intersection of Jefferson Avenue and Mercury Boulevard. The giant retailer has submitted a re-zoning request to the city, and the case is expected to go before the city's planning commission on June 2. "They've been talking about this for a long, long, time," said Saul Gleiser, senior district planner for the city.

Greg Moore is a 20-year Marine Corps veteran who was honorably discharged in 2002. His military career ran the gamut from chaplain's assistant to drill instructor. A second career in retail? He never thought about it. But while still on active duty, he got a part-time job with Walmart over the Christmas holidays. That eventually turned into full-time employment, and today he's the co-manager of the Sam's Club in Newport News. Moore was in Norfolk this week to help promote the retail giant's initiative to hire more than 100,000 veterans over the next five years.

Somewhere, possibly in Bentonville, Ark., Wal-Mart Stores has an office full of people who crunch numbers and pore over maps and run projections for every site it thinks might have potential for a new store. So you can be sure that before the corporation got to the point of asking the city of Newport News to rezone land for a new store, it's pretty sure that location is going to be a success for Wal-Mart. The question is whether this use of the site, off Jefferson Avenue just north of Mercury Boulevard, will also be a success for the city.

For all those who love Costco — your adoration is justified. Shopping at the warehouse club will save you about 20 percent over the same trip at Walmart. And compared to other clubs, Costco is the cheapest. We recently looked at prices for common household and grocery items at each of the three local warehouse clubs — Costco, Sam's Club and BJ's Wholesale Club — and compared them against Walmart. In a previous study, we found that Walmart is the cheapest of grocery stores compared to the five other major chains in Hampton Roads.

Want choices? It will cost you. You won't find gluten-free chocolate cookies in Walmart, and you won't find unprocessed, unbleached flour in Food Lion. There aren't 24 varieties of olive oil in Target, and Farm Fresh's shelves don't stock duck eggs. But there are places to find those things on the Peninsula. Specialty grocery stores are growing in popularity as traditional supermarkets continue a downward spiral, say industry experts such as Hartman Strategy, a Washington-based consumer research firm.

For all those who love Costco -- your adoration is justified. Shopping at the warehouse club will save you about 20 percent over the same trip at Walmart. And compared to other clubs , Costco is the cheapest. We recently looked at prices for common household and grocery items at each of the three local warehouse clubs -- Costco, Sam's Club and BJ's Wholesale Club -- and compared them against Walmart. In a previous study, we found that Walmart is the cheapest of grocery stores compared to the five other major chains in Hampton Roads.

Crimean conflict Russian troops smashed their way into a Ukrainian air base in Crimea with armored vehicles, automatic fire and stun grenades Saturday, while Ukrainian forces abandoned a naval base after attacks by pro-Russian protesters. Crimea has a majority ethnic Russian population. David Collier: Not any of our business. Deeds stabbing report hasn't been released More than two weeks ago, G. Douglas Bevelacqua resigned from his position in charge of "The Bath County Critical Incident Report" for Virginia's Office of the State Inspector General, claiming that his work had been censored.

In the 10300 block of Farys Mill Road A larceny was reported from a detached garage on Nov. 19. Miscellaneous power and hand tools were taken sometime since Nov. 5 with a value exceeding $200. It is unknown if the garage was locked, though there were no signs of forced entry. In the 7500 block of Justice Drive A larceny was reported on Nov. 20 from an unlocked vehicle parked at Daffodil Gardens between 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. A wallet, change purse and two-liter soda bottled were taken with a value of less than $200.

All was calm and bright during Black Friday doorbuster night. Many shoppers stuck to their convictions it seemed on Thanksgiving night as crowds in stores on the Peninsula were noticeably smaller than years past. "I used to work at Walmart, and I am totally against opening these stores on Thanksgiving," said Kim Phillips, of Newport News. "I will not be supporting the stores that choose to open Thanksgiving. " That sentiment was echoed across social media channels in the days leading up to Black Friday.

By Nicole Paitsel, npaitsel@dailypress.com and By Nicole Paitsel, npaitsel@dailypress.com | November 28, 2013

Only the diehards were out in the cold when Toys "R" Us, Best Buy and Walmart opened at 6 p.m. Thanksgiving Day. Traffic was light in the Patrick Henry Mall area of Newport News in the early evening hours, but by 8 p.m. Thursday Black Friday shoppers were starting to fill the parking lots. Mary Tidwell, of Newport News arrived at Toys "R" Us at 4 p.m. Thursday. She entered the store in the first wave of shoppers and finished shopping by 5:30 p.m., only 30 minutes after the store's opening time.

GLOUCESTER — A developer is citing a recovering economy for preparations to add more retail space and a restaurant at Fox Mill Center, the county's signature retail and commercial development in the Court House area. The proposed 8,300-square-foot restaurant and twin 7,500-square-foot retail buildings will be built on five acres across from the Walmart parking lot and north of the Verizon and Sweet Frogs stores, according to an application filed with Gloucester County on Oct. 31. Illinois-based developer Bob Kubicki, who lived in Gloucester from 1974 to 2000, said he expects construction to start in the first quarter of next year.

Williamsburg Premium Outlets has not changed the name of its annual Midnight Madness Black Friday event, but the shopping center's advertisements include an extra message this year: Many of the 135 outlet stores will open at 8 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day. That's the story for most retailers on the Peninsula, and shoppers who wait until the early morning hours of Friday, Nov. 29 to head out will likely miss the largest crowds (and the most talked-about doorbuster...

A man suspected of stealing women's wallets at a Walmart in York County is also suspected of a similar theft at a Walmart in Newport News. There have been a total of five incidents reported that investigators believe involve the same suspect. York-Poquoson Sheriff's Lt. Dennis Ivey Jr. said four of the thefts have taken place at the Walmart in Tabb off Route 17. Another incident took place at Walmart off Jefferson Avenue in Newport News. All of the incidents took place between Sept.

By Nicole Paitsel, npaitsel@dailypress.com and By Nicole Paitsel, npaitsel@dailypress.com | November 28, 2013

Only the diehards were out in the cold when Toys "R" Us, Best Buy and Walmart opened at 6 p.m. Thanksgiving Day. Traffic was light in the Patrick Henry Mall area of Newport News in the early evening hours, but by 8 p.m. Thursday Black Friday shoppers were starting to fill the parking lots. Mary Tidwell, of Newport News arrived at Toys "R" Us at 4 p.m. Thursday. She entered the store in the first wave of shoppers and finished shopping by 5:30 p.m., only 30 minutes after the store's opening time.

The final round of voting began Tuesday for a new invention competition being promoted by Wal-Mart and a long-time Hampton Roads resident is a finalist. Tumi Oredein, 26, a graduate of Indian River High School in Chesapeake created a wristband called Skribs on which the wearer can write their own messages. The University of Virginia engineering graduate is currently a master's degree student in product innovation at Virginia Commonwealth University. Read more about him at the Virginian Pilot.

More seasonal, hourly jobs should be available during the holiday season this year compared with last year, according to a survey by job-search provider Snagajob. The results of the Henrico County- based Snagajob survey were more optimistic than a forecast by the national outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc., which said hiring for the holiday season may not exceed last year's 12-year high. Snagajob's annual survey of more than 1,000 hiring managers nationwide indicates that 69 percent expect to make hires this year, up from 63 percent in 2012.